Keep the Hair You Have by Lowering DHT Levels!

Losing hair is normal; it is part of the hair growth cycle. The growth phase lasts two to six years, and roughly 90% of the tresses on your head are in this phase. The other 10% of your locks are in a dormant phase that can last from two to six months. After the dormant phase comes to an end, the strands are then discarded.

The follicles then begin to grow new locks, during an average growth cycle much hair is shed or discarded. It is quite normal to loose fifty to one-hundred hairs everyday! This is no reason to be alarmed.

When thinning of your locks becomes noticeable, this is an indication of the beginnings of hair loss or balding. As it stands hair loss and balding are not life threatening conditions, however, many people experience emotional distress.

The most common causes of loss of locks are aging, heredity, thyroid imbalance, eating disorders, illness, pregnancy, or menopause, and prescription medications. Most people are familiar with the most common cause of hair loss, which is a hereditary condition. This is called androgenetic alopecia, and it is passed on through genetics.

Androgenetic alopecia occurs when follicles begin to shrink gradually over time, causing a shortening of the life cycle it goes through. As a result of the growth phase of the hair, the newer growth is shorter and thinner. This shortening and thinning of tresses continues until hair growth stops entirely. The important thing to remember is that thinning conditions are treatable! The idea is to keep the hair you have and strengthen the existing follicle.

One of the major hormones that cause loss of locks in men and women is DHT. DHT stands for Dihydrotestosterone. DHT is caused by a reaction between the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase (which is found in the skin and scalp) and the hormone testosterone. DHT related balding is caused when DHT binds to receptor sites on the scalp and follicles. This binding of chemicals causes interruption and interaction of the normal chain of events that regulates normal, healthy, hair growth.

If this sounds complicated, let's put it a way that everyone can understand, DHT balding occurs when DHT takes control of the receptor cell. The receptor cell is located on the follicle which binds to DHT. When this bonding happens, false signals are sent to the cells whose job it is to maintain proper hair growth. The place that men lose their mane first is the temporal area; following is loss in the crown, and lastly, the top of the scalp. The concentration of sweat glands located in these regions cause heavy accumulation of DHT. In women's loss of their mane, it happens differently, they will usually experience diffusion of hair evenly throughout their scalp.

There are many procedures available to treat balding today. One of the keys to preventing hair loss is a healthy daily diet. A diet low in fat and high in fiber, fresh fruits and vegetables can have a major effect on stopping genetic and age related hair loss. In Asia where daily diets consist of vegetables, balding rarely occurs. Botanical nutrients may keep hair follicles from going dormant permanently.

Perhaps the easiest way to stop it is to notice the early stages of follicle dormancy. By taking action to treat thinning before balding occurs, you can strengthen the follicles to prevent further destruction by DHT. One way to treat thinning is by taking supplements that contain ingredients such as Saw Palmetto and Green Tea Extract. These all natural ingredients have been found to help maintain hair follicle health. One product that is designed to help block DHT is Hair RX, which contains a balanced blend of Saw Palmetto along with other important herbs to help you keep the hair you have and strengthen your follicles from the inside out!